Stocks: Bull market enters fourth year

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The bull market on Wall Street enters its fourth year this week and investors are wondering how much higher stocks can go.

Stocks ended modestly higher Friday, capping a mixed week for the major indexes. The Dow Jones industrial average eased slightly over the last five trading days. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq edged up modestly last week.

"Recent activity data have brought further signs that global growth is recovering from its recent dip," said Simon Hayes, an economist at Barclays Capital, in a research report. "At the same time, however, the threat of a jump in oil prices is likely to keep financial markets and policymakers watchful, even as euro risks recede."

While prices have eased in recent days, U.S. crude oil futures are up more than 8% this year amid fears that tensions between Iran and Western powers could disrupt supplies from the Middle East.

The central bank is not expected to announce any changes to interest rates or major policy measures, but it may offer a slightly brighter assessment of the economy following upbeat reports on the job market.

In Europe, finance ministers from the 17 nations that use the euro on Monday are expected to authorize the release of a second round of loans for Greece from the eurozone bailout fund.

Greece announced Friday that private sector creditors will take part in a historic restructuring of the government's debt, which was the final condition of its €130 billion bailout program from the European Union and International Monetary Fund.

On Tuesday, the IMF is expected to decide how much it will contribute to the bailout. IMF director Christine Lagarde suggested Friday that the fund could chip in €28 billion over four years.